How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost in 2026? The full breakdown

1. The visa application fee

Your fee depends on two things: where you apply from, and how long your visa is for. The length comes from your certificate of sponsorship, and a Skilled Worker visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it.

Bringing your partner or children? Each of them pays the same fee as you, for the same length of time, even if they apply later.

2. The Immigration Health Surcharge: usually the biggest cost

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) lets you use the NHS from the day your visa starts. Most people pay it as part of their online visa application, and it's charged for the full length of the visa:

• £1,035 a year for each adult
• £776 a year for each child who is under 18 when they apply

Part years are charged in halves. Up to 6 months costs half the yearly amount, and anything over 6 months costs a full year. So a 3-year visa means £3,105 for an adult, and a 5-year visa means £5,175.

Two things worth knowing. First, people applying for the Health and Care Worker visa, and their family members, don't pay the surcharge at all. Second, if your application is refused, or you withdraw it before a decision is made, you get the surcharge back in full.

3. The £1,270 you need to show (and when you don't)

This one isn't a fee. It's money you need in your bank account to show you can support yourself when you arrive: at least £1,270, held for 28 days in a row, with day 28 falling within 31 days of your application.

For your family, add £285 for your partner, £315 for your first child and £200 for each additional child.

You usually don't need to show this money if you've been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or if your employer confirms on your certificate of sponsorship that they'll cover your costs during your first month.

4. What your employer pays (and can't charge you for)

Sponsoring you costs your employer money too, and some of it can never be passed on to you:

• Certificate of sponsorship: £525 for each Skilled Worker.
• Immigration Skills Charge: £480 for the first 12 months for small or charitable sponsors, or £1,320 for medium and large sponsors, then £240 or £660 for each extra 6 months. The whole charge is paid in one go, so a 5-year visa costs a large employer £6,600.
• Sponsor licence: £611 for small or charitable sponsors, or £1,682 for medium and large ones, if they don't already have a licence. (Not sure if yours does? Here's how to check.)

There's no Immigration Skills Charge in some cases, for example if you switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa, or for certain research and higher education roles. Some employers also choose to pay their workers' visa fees or health surcharge as part of a relocation package. If yours offers, check your contract for any terms about paying it back if you leave early.

What it really costs: real examples

Here's what the Home Office fees come to for some common situations:

Now add a family. For you, your partner and one child under 18, all on 3-year visas from outside the UK, the visa fees come to £2,457 and the health surcharge to £8,538: £10,995 in total.

Before you budget for your family, check that they can come with you. Some jobs no longer allow dependants, so read the family section of our Skilled Worker visa guide first.

Work out your own total

5. Other costs to budget for

• An English test, if you need one to prove your English. New applicants need level B2. Prices vary by test provider and country.
• A tuberculosis (TB) test, if you're coming from one of the listed countries.
• A criminal record certificate, if you're applying from outside the UK for a job in education, healthcare, therapy or social services.
• Certified translations of any documents that aren't in English or Welsh.
• A faster decision, if you apply from inside the UK and want one: £500 for priority (usually within 5 working days) or £1,000 for super priority (usually by the end of the next working day), for each person.
• The move itself: flights, a rental deposit and enough to live on until your first payday.

How to keep the cost down

• Check the Immigration Salary List. If your job is on it, you and your family pay a lower fee (£628 instead of £819 for up to 3 years). Most jobs come off the list on 31 December 2026, though.
• Look at the Health and Care Worker visa if you work in health or social care. It has a lower fee and no health surcharge.
• Ask your employer whether they'll cover your visa fee or health surcharge, or certify your maintenance so you don't have to hold £1,270 in savings.
• Get it right first time. Once you've given your fingerprints and photo, the application fee usually isn't refunded, even if you cancel. Check that your certificate of sponsorship and documents are correct before you apply.
• Check your salary qualifies before you pay anything. Our salary threshold guide shows you how.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost in 2026?

The application fee is £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for longer if you apply from outside the UK, and £943 or £1,865 if you apply from inside the UK. Most people also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year, so a 3-year visa from outside the UK costs £3,924 in total.

Does my employer have to pay for my visa?

Your employer must pay the certificate of sponsorship fee (£525) and the Immigration Skills Charge, and can't ask you to cover them. You usually pay the visa application fee and the health surcharge yourself, although some employers choose to pay them.

Is the Health and Care Worker visa cheaper?

Yes. The fee is £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for longer, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK, and neither you nor your family pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Do children pay the health surcharge?

Yes, but at a lower rate: £776 a year for children who are under 18 when they apply.

Do I get the health surcharge back if my visa is refused?

Yes. You get a full refund of the surcharge if your application is refused, or if you withdraw it before a decision is made.

Do I need to show £1,270 in savings?

Usually, yes, unless you've been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months, or your employer confirms on your certificate of sponsorship that they'll cover your costs during your first month.

Sources

Every figure in this guide was checked against GOV.UK on 24 October 2026:

• Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs
• Health and Care Worker visa: how much it costs
• Immigration Health Surcharge: how much you have to pay
• Immigration Health Surcharge: who needs to pay
• Immigration Health Surcharge: refunds
• Skilled Worker visa: your partner and children
• UK visa sponsorship for employers: Immigration Skills Charge
• UK visa sponsorship for employers: certificates of sponsorship
• UK visa sponsorship for employers: apply for your licence
• Skilled Worker visa: documents you'll need to apply
• Skilled Worker visa: knowledge of English
• Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application
• Cancel your visa application: getting a refund

Sponsorly is an independent guide, not legal advice. Fees change from time to time, so check GOV.UK before you apply.